Sen. Smith wedges $2 rental tax into massive SunRail project

April 21, 2009|Posted by Josh Hafenbrack on April 21, 2009 10:20 AM

Chris Smith found one thing missing on his arrival as a new state senator in the capital city: a regular card game.

An avid spades player, Smith discovered an after-hours game at the Shriners Club, where he meets blue-collar locals who, he says, have the kind of jobs that involve cleaning the Capitol rather than running it.

In the state Senate, the Fort Lauderdale Democrat has emerged as something of a dealer in another capacity: the long-running effort to get a $2 rental car tax dedicated to Tri-Rail, South Florida's commuter train.

Despite being a freshman senator in Tallahassee's minority party, Smith gained clout as a swing vote in Central Florida's legislative quest to get its own $1.2 billion commuter rail. Dubbed SunRail, the Orlando train line would, in many ways, mirror the 20-year-old Tri-Rail system that's struggling for financial survival.

"I've been holding out to get this money for South Florida," Smith said. "If they want SunRail, they've got to save Tri-Rail."